Tisdale leads Illinois to another win over ranked team

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The last time Illinois center Mike Tisdale faced Michigan's DeShawn Sims, he was so rattled that coach Bruce Weber pulled him out of the game early and took his chances that his team would be better off without him.

In that game, just last week in Ann Arbor, Sims finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, and Michigan won 74-64.

Fast Facts

• Illinois was down one at the half but outscored Michigan by 16 in the second half to win their 12th straight home game against the Wolverines.

• Mike Tisdale scored 18 of his 24 points in the final 20 minutes to pace the Illini.

• Illinois becomes the 13th team in NCAA Division I history to amass 1,600 wins.

-- ESPN research

On Wednesday night in Champaign, after a challenge from Weber, the 7-foot-1 Tisdale had his revenge.

The sophomore scored 24 points, most off soft jump shots and all but six in the second half, in Illinois' 66-51 victory over the 25th-ranked Wolverines.

"He couldn't guard anybody," Weber said of Tisdale's game at Michigan. "I said, 'Mike, at least compete. You have to fight these guys.'"

Michigan coach John Beilein, who stayed at 499 career wins, said Tisdale's height was too much for the Wolverines, whose tallest starter was the 6-8 Sims.

"We're playing small," he said. "I knew he could shoot from the outside."